Origin
Cedar Falls, IA
Afternoon in Cedar Falls on Sunday
Local time
3:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA
Drive Time
1h 52m
Distance
81.2 mi
131 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 44m
★
6 AM
1h 53m
8 AM
2h 9m
10 AM
1h 58m
12 PM
1h 57m
3 PM
1h 59m
5 PM
2h 8m
8 PM
1h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cedar Falls, IA
Chris F
Trip Overview
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA covers 81.2 miles and takes about 1h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 1st Street, Leo P Rooff Expressway, Broadway Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
40.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 52m drive with frequent turns across 81.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
1st Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA is easy. At 1h 52m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Leo P Rooff Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Broadway Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Airport Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Airline Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Logan Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Larrabee Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 270th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
1st Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Falls, IA and Decorah, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto 1st Street
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
1st Street
3
Continue on Leo P Rooff Expressway
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
4
Continue on Leo P Rooff Expressway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
5
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway Street: Airport
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway Street: Airport
6
Turn left onto Airport Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Airport Boulevard
7
Turn right onto West Airline Highway
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
West Airline Highway
8
Turn left onto Logan Avenue
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Logan Avenue
9
Continue on Larrabee Avenue
23 mi
·
26 min
·
Larrabee Avenue
10
Take the exit slight right
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
11
At the end of the road, turn left onto 270th Street
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
270th Street
12
Continue on West Main Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
13
Continue on 270th Street
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
270th Street
14
Turn left onto Union Avenue
7.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Union Avenue
15
Continue on County Highway V56
436 ft
·
11 sec
·
County Highway V56
16
Turn right onto State Highway 24
13 mi
·
17 min
·
State Highway 24
17
Continue on 1st Street Southeast
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
1st Street Southeast
18
Continue on State Highway 24
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 24
19
Continue on Highway 24
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Highway 24
20
Continue on State Highway 24
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
State Highway 24
21
Continue on Charles Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Charles Street
22
Turn right onto South Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
South Street
23
Turn left onto Maryville Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Maryville Street
24
Continue straight
7.8 mi
·
10 min
25
Turn right onto State Highway 9
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
State Highway 9
26
Turn left onto Short Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Short Street
27
Continue on South Mechanic Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Mechanic Street
28
Turn right onto West Broadway Street
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
West Broadway Street
29
Turn left onto Washington Street
341 ft
·
17 sec
·
Washington Street
30
Turn right onto East Main Street
59 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
31
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA, or about 56m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 1h 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.6 miles or 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Decorah, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cedar Falls, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cedar Falls, IA
This is one driving day of about 81.2 miles and 1h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cedar Falls, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 40.6 mi from Cedar Falls, IA · 56m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 40.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Decorah, IA
The final approach into Decorah, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Decorah, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.33 one way
$24.67 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $13.60 | $27.19 |
| premium | $4.80 | $15.33 | $30.66 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $18.04 | $36.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.4 | 0 | $8.53 | $3.90 |
| Efficient EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.10 | $3.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 32.5 | 0 | $11.37 | $5.20 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Decorah, IA
Afternoon in Decorah on Sunday
Local time
3:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
42°F
Waterloo, IA
41 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 52m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA covers 81.2 miles and takes about 1h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 1st Street, Leo P Rooff Expressway, Broadway Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 40.6 miles from Cedar Falls, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.33 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA is easy. At 1h 52m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cedar Falls, IA to Decorah, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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